Many Brits claim they never stray more than 10 feet away from an Internet-enabled device, according to new research.
A survey of 3,000 people across the UK found that 22% say today’s "always-on" culture means they always have a device nearby that will enable them to get online.
This means that the average working person does an additional 3.35 hours of work each week, with no additional pay. This stat however is balanced out by workers spending 2.32 hours per week in the office on personal things.
The survey, commissioned by online backup firm Mozy, also found that 23% of us now work from home at least once a week while 90% believe flexible working initiatives are of great benefit to the company from a productivity and happiness perspective.
"With the right technology, not only are workers more productive, but they are also happier and enjoying a more balanced lifestyle. Many UK businesses have embraced flexible workplaces, whether as a result of the changing business landscape during the recession, or the impact of technological advances, which have led to the rise of consumerisation of IT and ‘bring your own’ devices," said Mozy’s Claire Galbois-Alcaix.
"Businesses that support a flexible environment, whilst protecting their data with secure backup, will benefit most greatly from this trend," she added.
However there are drawbacks to this. Just 32% save data to their corporate network when working remotely, meaning there is an awful lot of valuable data out there that is being stored on home PCs, laptops, flash drives and tablets such as Apple’s iPad.
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"The results of the survey show the lines between work and personal lives increasingly blurring as more and more of us work in our personal time and space as well as carrying out personal tasks in work time and locations," said Galbois-Alcaix.
"Both employers and workers appear to benefit but, if workers are only saving data to their laptops, tablets or smartphones, this leaves businesses at significant risk should they be lost, stolen or broken. In most cases, the consumerisation of IT and workplace flexibility leads to a more ‘switched on’ and connected workforce but UK businesses need to ensure they are able to properly back up data when employees are working outside of the office to protect important information from loss," Galbois-Alcaix added.
Read CBR’s in-depth look at the consumerisation of IT and its risks for businesses here.
